Thursday, June 05, 2008
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Rally for Rachel Widomski & Juli Liu at the Gallery Hop
This message came from John Angelo, Short North Business Association
Short North, Columbus, OH - On the evening of May 15, Rachel Widomski, a server at Haiku restaurant, and Juli Liu, co-owner of the restaurant, were seriously injured when they were literally run over by a dine-and-dash customer. Though Julie is on the road to recovery, Rachel's severe spinal cord trauma will leave her paralyzed from the waist down for life. Rachel's journey from this point will be long and extremely difficult. She and her family need our support for both immediate and long-term needs.
The Short North Business Association, the Central Ohio Restaurant Association and the Couchfire Collective (a Columbus arts organization) are collaboratively spearheading a series of events designed to help raise funds for Rachel's recovery. The events kick off with "Hope Weekend," Friday, June 6 - Sunday, June 8. In particular, several initiatives are being orchestrated during Saturday's Gallery Hop. Beginning at 6:00PM, volunteers will spearhead an art auction at The Art Exchange (17 East Brickel), a letter writing and fundraising campaign (650 N. High Street), and a concert by area bands at the intersection of High Street and Hubbard Avenue (the site of Rachel's assault).
Join the effort and help turn a horrible, senseless act into a message of Hope for recovery, and a new beginning for Rachel and her family. Complete details are posted at www.HopeWeekend.com.
If you cannot make the Gallery Hop, but would like to contribute in support of the Rachel Widomski Medical Care Trust, please visit any area Huntington Bank or visit hopeweekend.com to make contributions online.
"Hope Weekend" consists of five key components:
1) Over 60 businesses are participating citywide by placing collection jars on their counters and inviting their patrons to donate. Many servers are contributing their own tips and numerous businesses are matching the proceeds.
2) A "Place of Reflection" will be set up in the shop windows at 650 N. High Street... the space will feature Rachel's art, messages from the community (many in the form of haikus), information about Rachel's status, and much more. The space will be staffed from 6PM to 10PM during Gallery Hop.
3) A silent auction of donated art will be held at the Art Exchange, 17 E. Brickel (proceeds will go to Rachel's Trust), 6pm - 10pm
4) A lineup of bands and performers will be on stage at High and Hubbard outside Haiku Restaurant
6:30 pm - Bob Ray Starker
7:30 pm - Megan Palmer
8:30 pm - Karate Coyote
9:30 pm - Paper Airplane
10:30 pm - Two Cow Garage
5) "Big Night" at Studio 35, 3055 Indianola Avenue
Sunday, June 8 4:00pm
See the film "Big Night" for only $5
All proceeds will benefit the recovery fund.
More information is available at haikuhelp.com
Notable contributions:
Sysco of Central Ohio has committed a minimum of $10,000 ($.10 of every case of food they sell through June 7 will go to the fund)
Heartland Payment Systems has pledged a matching grant of up to $25,000. The grant can be activated by donations from the public or other businesses.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Artists Call to Action, The Orphan Works Act of 2008
This came to me from my friend and artist Gail Larned. It sounds petty serious and will affect just about every artist you know and like. Read it and take action! - charlie
On April 24, Senators Pat Leahy (D-VT) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA), John Conyers (D-MI) and Lamar Smith (R-TX) introduced legislation (S.2913, HR 5889), which is now being referred to as the Shawn Bentley Orphan Works Act of 2008. It is virtually the same bill that was presented in 2006, and subsequently rejected by Congress. But now, they are trying again.
If passed, the Act would radically alter copyright laws, taking away the automatic copyright now guaranteed to artists of all types who create any type of work. Right now, under U.S.law, you are automatically guaranteed copyright on everything you create, from the sketches in your sketchpad to your best paintings and sculptures.
Under the Orphan Works Act, every creator will be required to register everything he or she creates in a private registry system, requiring a fee of course, and supposedly to make it easier for the "public" to search for works and contact the creators if they want to use the
works for some purpose.
Everything created in the last 30 years will need to be registered through this as-yet nonexistent system, including those works already registered via additional fees with the copyright office. If they aren't, and some member of the public makes "due diligence" to find the creator of a work and can't find him or her, that member of the public is entitled to use the work without any limitations, and artists will have no legal recourse. That means every piece of work you have out there, especially online, would be open season for use bymajor publishing houses and businesses (Microsoft who owns one of the largest online image databases and Google have already voiced support for the bill and indicated they will use thousands of images) and everyone in between.
Proponents of the bill say it will assist the public in identifying and contacting creators of works and going through the proper channels to contact them to ask for permission. While we understand the need for an organized system of search, there are MAJOR FLAWS in the proposed bill that need to be addressed before any such proposal should take place. Here are a few points:
Under this law, you would need to register every piece of work you create, including those works that you have already registered with the Copyright Office officially, in some system that does not exist and would likely require you to pay to do so. The time and cost to do this is going to be prohibitive for visual artists. While this is meant to apply to all types of creative works, including music and literary, visual artists will be impacted the most because of the sheer volume of work we create, making it very expensive to register everything you have ever created or will create. For the visual arts, there would still be little protection for you and your work, even if it is registered, because search tools would rely on names of artists or titles of work, and not image recognition tools, which are still in their infancy of development. Under this law, if you register your work, you would have to respond to EVERY inquiry sent to you for use of the work. So in other words, if you have a work out there in a registry system, and some person contacts you and says he wants to use your work for free on his Web site or in his new catalog, you would need to take the time to officially respond to every inquiry within a specified time limit, letting him know if you do not want to have him publish your work for free. This will take a lot of time and effort that we, as professional artists, do not have.
Last week, the House Judiciary Committee unanimously approved the bill, and yesterday, May 15, the Senate Judiciary Committee did as well. This means the bill will be presented to Congress, likely before the end of May.
We need you to write to your representatives ASAP and let them know that you do NOT want this bill to be expedited, as it is now. Tell them we need a better solution, or tell them you don't want it at all: Just be sure to tell them something soon. Click the links below to get more information on the bill, including a video that gives you a great overview of the artists' concerns:
http://www.capwiz.com/artsusa/issues/alert/?alertid=11346091&type=CU
On April 24, Senators Pat Leahy (D-VT) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA), John Conyers (D-MI) and Lamar Smith (R-TX) introduced legislation (S.2913, HR 5889), which is now being referred to as the Shawn Bentley Orphan Works Act of 2008. It is virtually the same bill that was presented in 2006, and subsequently rejected by Congress. But now, they are trying again.
If passed, the Act would radically alter copyright laws, taking away the automatic copyright now guaranteed to artists of all types who create any type of work. Right now, under U.S.law, you are automatically guaranteed copyright on everything you create, from the sketches in your sketchpad to your best paintings and sculptures.
Under the Orphan Works Act, every creator will be required to register everything he or she creates in a private registry system, requiring a fee of course, and supposedly to make it easier for the "public" to search for works and contact the creators if they want to use the
works for some purpose.
Everything created in the last 30 years will need to be registered through this as-yet nonexistent system, including those works already registered via additional fees with the copyright office. If they aren't, and some member of the public makes "due diligence" to find the creator of a work and can't find him or her, that member of the public is entitled to use the work without any limitations, and artists will have no legal recourse. That means every piece of work you have out there, especially online, would be open season for use bymajor publishing houses and businesses (Microsoft who owns one of the largest online image databases and Google have already voiced support for the bill and indicated they will use thousands of images) and everyone in between.
Proponents of the bill say it will assist the public in identifying and contacting creators of works and going through the proper channels to contact them to ask for permission. While we understand the need for an organized system of search, there are MAJOR FLAWS in the proposed bill that need to be addressed before any such proposal should take place. Here are a few points:
Under this law, you would need to register every piece of work you create, including those works that you have already registered with the Copyright Office officially, in some system that does not exist and would likely require you to pay to do so. The time and cost to do this is going to be prohibitive for visual artists. While this is meant to apply to all types of creative works, including music and literary, visual artists will be impacted the most because of the sheer volume of work we create, making it very expensive to register everything you have ever created or will create. For the visual arts, there would still be little protection for you and your work, even if it is registered, because search tools would rely on names of artists or titles of work, and not image recognition tools, which are still in their infancy of development. Under this law, if you register your work, you would have to respond to EVERY inquiry sent to you for use of the work. So in other words, if you have a work out there in a registry system, and some person contacts you and says he wants to use your work for free on his Web site or in his new catalog, you would need to take the time to officially respond to every inquiry within a specified time limit, letting him know if you do not want to have him publish your work for free. This will take a lot of time and effort that we, as professional artists, do not have.
Last week, the House Judiciary Committee unanimously approved the bill, and yesterday, May 15, the Senate Judiciary Committee did as well. This means the bill will be presented to Congress, likely before the end of May.
We need you to write to your representatives ASAP and let them know that you do NOT want this bill to be expedited, as it is now. Tell them we need a better solution, or tell them you don't want it at all: Just be sure to tell them something soon. Click the links below to get more information on the bill, including a video that gives you a great overview of the artists' concerns:
http://www.capwiz.com/artsusa/issues/alert/?alertid=11346091&type=CU
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Raconteur Theatre Debut
The message below invites you to experience a production by a brand new theatre company in Columbus. In the spirit of full disclosure, the second play of this two-play presentation is directed by my son, Aaron Einhorn. I saw the play last Friday, also to a full-house, and found it to be short, witty, well-written and well acted. I enjoyed it and recommend you see it for a fine evening of live entertainment.
Watch the trailer!- charlie
Watch the trailer!- charlie
It's time! Please come out to see After the Afterglow - Raconteur
Theatre's debut production! We opened Thursday night to a full house
and a great audience, and we want to keep the momentum going... please
come out to the show and support Columbus, Ohio's newest theatre company!
* Trailers: see us in video! http://raconteurtheatre.com
* Tickets: please purchase tickets in advance at
http://raconteurtheatre.com
* Info about the show: http://raconteurtheatre.com
More info is below. Thank you to all of you who have already purchased
tickets- see you at the show!
Andrew - 410 S. Ohio Ave.
___
After the Afterglow consists of two short plays that explore love when
it seems to be past its prime. Roulette by Douglas Hill is about
embracing the past when you can't escape it while Aster, Holger Gunn
by Justin Toomey is about learning how to let go.
Tickets are $8. We are performing at Kafé Kerouac in the North Campus
area of Columbus. It's an intimate setting where you can buy a cup of
coffee and enjoy good theatre. Address: 2250 N. High St., 2 blocks
North of Lane Ave. The show runs May 29 - June 14.
Roulette
by Douglas Hill
Directed by Tricia Jones
Cast:
Janine: Jill Ceneskie
Matt: JT Walker
Aster, Holger Gunn
by Justin Toomey
Directed by Aaron Einhorn
Cast:
Holger: Andrew Cronacher
Aster: Molly St Cyr
Duck: Sam Blythe
Remaining Performance Dates:
8 p.m. - Friday, May 30
8 p.m. - Saturday, May 31
2 p.m. - Sunday, June 1
8 p.m. - Thursday, June 5
8 p.m. - Friday, June 6
8 p.m. - Saturday, June 7
2 p.m. - Sunday, June 8
8 p.m. - Thursday, June 12
8 p.m. - Friday, June 13
8 p.m. - Saturday, June 14
--
Keep up with Raconteur Theatre Company at http://raconteurtheatre.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
